It’s not the first time Newcastle have travelled to Villa Park with scrutiny on their manager
Newcastle United head coach Eddie Howe, and former Magpies manager Sir Bobby Robson
Newcastle’s daunting FA Cup trip to Aston Villa on Saturday could offer a warning from history to those who suggest Eddie Howe should be sacked if United lose.
For the Magpies’ last game in the same competition at Villa Park left one of Howe’s most celebrated predecessors at St James’ Park under mounting pressure. But keeping faith with him resulted in long-term gain after short-term pain.
The Magpies head for Birmingham for Saturday’s teatime clash with Howe under pressure. His side have recorded just three domestic away wins this season although had a morale-boosting 2-1 victory at Tottenham on Tuesday night to calm some of the nerves.
But go back to January 2001, and similar storm clouds were hovering over Bobby Robson. Three wins in nine games in all competitions had seen his Newcastle side lose touch with the Premier League top six, and they had only just forced a third-round FA Cup replay away at Villa with a late Kieron Dyer equaliser at St James’ Park.
Worse was to follow for Robson. Darius Vassell ended a two-year drought – the ball somehow looping off his thigh and over United goalkeeper Steve Harper – for the only goal of the replay as the Magpies said goodbye to their final realistic chance of silverware.
Robson’s response may sound familiar right now. “At the moment it’s tough,” he said. “I have just got to keep my head and not get too down with things. The injuries will relent, and when they do, we will start to win games like these.”
As it happened, Newcastle didn’t start winning many games for the rest of that season. An 11th-place finish – beneath the likes of Charlton Athletic and Southampton – saw them qualify only for the UEFA Intertoto Cup.
Yet United’s board kept faith with Robson after the Villa cup defeat. And kept faith with him even after the mid-table finish.
The result? A top four finish the following season and a return to the Champions League, with memorable nights against Juventus and Feyenoord to follow. The year after? Newcastle finished third.
Howe will hope for a similar show of patience – win or lose at Villa Park.
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